Floating fish-trap.



N. L. MOEN.

FLOATING FISH TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1910. 969,970. Patented sep1.13,191o.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. L. MOEN.

FLOTING FISH TRAP.

APPLIoATloN FILED 11.11.91. 1910.

Ptllted Sept. 13, 1910 2 sums-SHEET z.

1ML Nolens Psrzns cv., WASH/waren. v. cy

UNITED strariis PATENT OFFICE.

l NELS L. MOEN, OF WRANGEL, DISTRICT OF ALASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0IVER HANDSETH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

FLOATING FISH-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 540,960.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NnLs L. MOEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVrangel, Alaska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Floating Fish- Traps, of which the following is aspecilication.

The object of this invention is the provision of a simple andinexpensively constructed floating fish-trap which will be oonvenient tooperate and which is especially adapted for service in rough waters.

The invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of partsas will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a iish-trap embodying myinvention7 Figure 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3is a front end view, shown partly broken away; Fig. t is a rerticalsection taken substantially through 4;-4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is adetail per.- spective view to show the preferred manner of securing theside walls of the trap netting to the trap float.

The reference numeral 10 designates the side members of the trap floatwhich are rigidly secured to each other at their rear ends and thencearranged to diverge toward the front of the trap as shown in Fig. 1.. Inproximity to the forward ends of said members they are rigidly connectedwith.

each other by a transverse beam 11; and one or more similarly disposedbeams 12, 12' are advantageously employed intermediate the length of thetrap and which are likewise rigidly secured to such side members.

The aforementioned elements constitute the trap frame of a substantiallyA-shape which affords a strong and rigid structure and is constructed ofwood or other material disposed to furnish the requisite buoyancy inwater to properly sustain the trap as a floatative body.

Upright poles 13 are provided in spaced relation about the outside ofsaid frame; and supplementary poles 14, 14 may also be provided at aboutthe midlength of the beams 11 and 12. These poles are slidably connectedfor vertical movement by extending through apertured attachments 15 and16 which are respectively secured to the adjacent portions of the frameand to rigid supports, such as 17, which are superposed upon the frame.Each of said poles is provided with a plurality of holes 18 which may beselectively used to accommodate lock pins 19 for securing the poles atvarious adjusted elevations by serving as supports to bear against therespective attachments 1G.

Secured to the pole 13 which is positioned at the apex of the frame arethe rear ends of two lines 20, 20 which are led along the opposite sidesof the trap and rove through holes provided at the lower ends of therespective poles 13 and through a hole in the pole la to be thence ledto and secured about fastening devices, such as cleats 22 and 22 locatednear the forward corners of the frame.

Pendent from the frame are side walls 23 of eoi'd netting whose loweredges are connected with or made continuous with the netting 24. whichserves for the trap-Hoor. Said side walls are disposed to be outside ofpoles 13, 13 and also of the aforesaid lines. Connected with the forwardedges of the side walls 23 and extending diagonally rearward inconverging dlrections therefrom are front walls 25; and inter mediatethe length of such side walls are partition walls 2G which are directedsimilarly to said front walls. Relatively small openings or passageways27 and 28 are provided between the respective parts of front andpartition walls.

Extending forwardly from between the wall parts 25 is a verticallydisposed netting 29 which serves as a lead to direct the fish throughone or the other of the assageways 27 into the compartment, or heart 30formed between the walls 23, 25 and 26. And from this compartment thefish pass through t-he passage-way 28 into the compartment, or pot 31beyond the wall 26 and between the side walls 23 in proximity to therear of the trap.

Advantageously, the lead netting 29 is supported from a water-borne boom32 having one end, as 32, hingedly connected with the trap frame and itsother end 32 is con- Y are a number of ropes 36 whose ends aredetachably secured to said frame members as through the agency of cleats37, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

38 and 39 represent anchor lines for securing the trap in operativeposition. To employ the trap the netting is first submerged to asuitable depth by paying out the lines 20 and 20 and pushing down thepoles. When the latter are properly regulated and secured by the pins19, the lines 20 and 20 are made taut and fastened about the respectivecleats 22 and 22. The lead wall 29 is now adjustably secured in properdirection with respect to the trap frame swinging the boom 32 andwhereupon it is fastened by the line 33. The fish then are guided by thelead wall to pass successively through passage-ways 27, the heartcompartment 30, and the passageway 28, tobe finally trapped in the potcompartment 31. To remove the fish thus caught a boat B, Fig. 4, isbrought alongside of the pot portion of the trap and the ropes 36 atthat side of the trap are disconnected from the cleats4 37, and passedover upon the boat together with the adjacent top edge of the nettingpart 23. The ropes 36 and such netting are hauled in -upon the boat todeposit the fish in the latter, and which may be facilitated by theemployment of hoe-like implements operated by the crew to drag or urgethe fish out from the pot and into the boat.

Among the advantages presented by this invention is the provision of astiff and rigid trap-frame; the disposal of the outer netting walls ofthe trap eXteriorly of the trap frame, whereby a tender may be broughtup to such walls; the mann'er of detachably connecting certain of thenet walls for the unloading of entrapped fish from the trap; and thecombination of the poles and the line connections therefrom whichobviate the use of a supplementary or submerged frame which is unwieldyin rough waters.

What I claim as my invention, is

l. In a fish trap, a floatative frame, poles connected to the frame forindividual vertical movements, means for securing said poles in adjustedpositions, fiexible connections between the lower ends of the adjacentpoles, and a cord netting depending from said frame and extendingeXteriorly about said poles.

2. In a fish trap, a floatative frame, of a triangular shape comprisedof side members which are directly connected with each other at theirrear ends and transverse beams connecting the side members at the frontend and intermediate their lengths, poles connected to the frame forindividual vertical movements, means for securing said poles in adjustedpositions, flexible connections between the lower ends of the adjacentpoles, and a cord netting depending from said frame and extendingexteriorly about said poles.

NELS L. MOEN. Vitnesses J. M. PHEBUS, L. E. WoLrE.

